A LARGE AND IMPRESSIVE HARDWOOD SLIT GONG, ATINGTING KON

Vanuatu, Ambrym Island, late 19^th-early 20^th century. Carved from a large section of breadfruit tree, the drum depicts an ancestral figure, featuring prominent circular eyes set above a pierced nose, still retaining traces of black and red polychrome, and adorned with rows of pyramidal spikes. The body with a large slit at the center.

Provenance: Joel Cooner Gallery, Dallas, Texas, USA, by 2018. A private collection in Chicago, United States, acquired from the above. A copy of the original receipt from Joel Cooner Gallery, dated 10 December 2018 and confirming the dating above, accompanies this lot. The Joel Cooner Gallery, located off Oaklawn in the Dallas design district, specializes in important Tribal, Asian, Oceanic, pre-Colombian and ancient artworks catering to international collectors as well as many noted museums.
Condition: Old wear, traces of use, signs of weathering, losses, nicks, scratches, natural imperfections including age cracks, splits, and signs of insect activity. Overall good condition and presenting magnificently.

Weight: 51 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 208 cm (excluding base) and c. 268 cm (including base)

With a modern metal stand and base. (3)

Slit gongs are hollow wooden cylinders with a narrow longitudinal slit whose edges are struck to produce a deep, resonant tone. These impressive instruments are planted upright in the ground, towering over their percussionists, who, either seated or standing, bring them to life by striking the gong's lip with mallets.

Slit gongs play a central role in major social and religious ceremonies, including grade initiations, funerals, and dances. They are more than musical instruments – they are considered portraits of ancestors. When played, the resonant tones are believed to be the voices of awakened ancestors echoing from the gong’s hollow chamber. Gongs like the present lot not only served as musical instruments but also functioned as crucial communication devices across the islands of Vanuatu, bridging both distant communities and spiritual realms.

Expert’s note:
The present slit gong is carved with a pair of circular tusks around the neck, a distinctive design still recognizable despite extensive weathering. In Vanuatu, large boar tusks hold profound cultural, social, and spiritual significance, symbolizing status, wealth, and leadership. Particularly prized are circular tusks, which require years of careful cultivation, making them rare and prestigious. These tusks are vital in ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and initiation rites, where they serve as offerings, symbols of transition, or gifts that mark elevated social rank. Tusks also function as a form of currency in traditional exchanges, solidifying alliances, settling disputes, and marking major life events. Chiefs and high-ranking leaders display them as emblems of authority, and their presence in rituals underscores their spiritual power, believed to connect the realm of the living with that of the ancestors.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related finial from a slit gong, dated early to mid-20^th century, Ambrym Island, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 1978.412.736. Both pieces share a similar aesthetic, particularly in terms of their weathered surfaces and overall appearance, suggesting comparable age and exposure to the elements.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s, New York, 15 November 2013, lot 10
Price: USD 161,000 or approx. EUR 213,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Vanuatu slit gong, Vanuatu
Expert remark: The two gongs share a similar overall form and appearance, though the Sotheby’s example exhibits a more naive, less refined quality compared to the more primordial, robust character of the current lot. Note the size (320 cm).